"우리의 삶은 모두 각자의 플레이리스트로 구성돼 있다.“

낡은 포켓북에서 건져 올린 삶의 고단함과 치유,

『샌프란시스코에 가면 왜 머리에 꽃을 꽂을까』

 

아카이브 속에 잠든 선율이 들려주는 가장 사적인 인문학

“왜 어떤 노래는 시간이 흐를수록 더 선명해지는가.”

 

여기, 자석의 같은 극처럼 서로를 밀어내던 모자(母子)가 있다. 사랑하기에 오히려 가시를 세우고, 가까워질수록 척력(斥力)에 밀려나던 두 사람의 평행선은 어머니의 방구석, 퀴퀴한 냄새가 나는 낡은 팝송 책 한 권에서 교차한다. 저자는 오류투성이 번역이 적힌 그 보잘것없는 책 페이지 사이에서 젊은 날 어머니의 고독을 목격한다. 그리고 깨닫는다. 우리가 듣는 음악은 단순히 고막을 울리는 진동이 아니라, 다시는 돌아갈 수 없는 시간을 붙잡으려는 가장 간절한 손짓임을.

 

이 책 『샌프란시스코에 가면 왜 머리에 꽃을 꽂을까』는 스콧 맥켄지의 낭만적인 선율부터 투팍의 저항적인 비트, 카펜터스의 아련한 목소리까지 43곡의 팝송을 인생의 징검다리로 삼는다. 저자는 음악이라는 렌즈를 통해 가족, 고독, 용서, 그리고 인간다운 삶이란 무엇인가에 대해 집요하면서도 다정한 질문을 던진다.

 

비 오는 날 창문에 맺힌 물방울들이 서로를 알아보고 마침내 하나로 합쳐지듯, 저자는 이 책을 통해 독자들에게 제안한다. 당신의 플레이리스트 속에 숨겨진 ‘당신 자신’을 발견해 보라고. 음악이 흐르는 동안, 우리는 밀어내던 서로를 껴안고 마침내 인생이라는 커다란 오케스트라의 일원이 될 수 있을 것이다.

[목 차]

들어가는 글 ·········································································· 4

 

1. 크리스마스 다음 날이 더 거룩한 이유 ······························· 20

• 스콧 맥켄지 Scott McKenzie

• San Francisco(Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair) (1967)

 

2. 이 사랑 꼭 말로 통역해야 하나요? ····································· 26

• 노 다웃 No Doubt

• Don’t Speak (1996)

 

3. 잃어버린 낮을 되찾으세요 ················································ 31

• 마리안느 페이스풀 Marianne Faithfull

• As Tears Go By (1964)

 

4. 오만과 정견正見 ································································ 35

• TLC

• No Scrubs (1999)

 

5. 의심의 나라 대한민국 ······················································ 40

• 엘비스 프레슬리 Elvis Presley

• Suspicious Minds (1968)

 

6. 먼저 나부터 변화하라 ······················································ 46

• 투팍 2Pac

• Changes (1998)

 

7. 사랑은 홀로 서는 것 ························································· 51

• 매리 홉킨 Mary Hopkin

• Goodbye (1969)

 

8. 가끔은 일부러 비를 맞는 것도 좋다 ·································· 56

• 호세 펠리시아노 José Feliciano

• Rain (1969)

 

9. 사람보다 개가 더 좋은 이유 ·············································· 60

• 더 저즈 The Judds

• Grandpa(Tell Me 'Bout the Good Old Days) (1986)

 

10. 할아버지의 술 ······························································· 65

• 첨바왐바 Chumbawamba

• Tubthumping (1997)

 

11. 언젠가는 언젠가 후회로 남는다 ······································ 69

• 에릭 클랩튼 Eric Clapton

• Let It Grow (1974)

 

12. 가장 위험한 정신병, 나의 상실 ········································· 74

• 에미넴 Eminem

• The Real Slim Shady (2000)

 

13. 한 번 더 오늘을 살 수 있다면 ·········································· 78

• 카펜터스 Carpenters

• Yesterday Once More (1973)

 

14. 좋은 어른이었던 적이 있는가 ·········································· 82

• 마이클 잭슨 Michael Jackson

• Heal the World (1991)

 

15. 시간을 초월한 사랑 ························································ 86

• 짐 크로치 Jim Croce

• Time in a Bottle (1972)

 

16. 까치밥과 고수레 ···························································· 91

• 바네사 윌리엄스 Vanessa Williams

• Colors of the Wind(애니메이션 <포카혼타스> 주제가) (1995)

 

17. 죽음에서 배우는 삶의 편안함 ········································· 98

• 이글스 The Eagles

• Take It Easy (1972)

 

18. 진정 그들의 소멸을 원하는가 ········································ 104

• 아이스 큐브 Ice Cube

• Black Korea (1991)

 

19. 복수심 때문에 내 길을 잃지 말 것 ································· 109

• 줄리 런던 Julie London

• Cry Me a River (1955)

 

20. 시간을 낭비할 권리 ······················································ 114

• 브리트니 스피어스 Britney Spears

• Overprotected (2001)

 

21. 네가 내 하루를 만들어줬어! ········································· 120

• 빌리 조엘 Billy Joel

• Piano Man (1973)

 

22. 기도는 어떻게 이루어지는가 ········································· 127

• 머라이어 캐리와 휘트니 휴스턴 Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston

• When You Believe (1998)

 

23. 참된 리더란? ······························································· 132

• 존 레논 John Lennon

• Power to the People (1971)

 

24. 그리움의 온도 ····························································· 136

• 스키터 데이비스 Skeeter Davis

• The End of the World (1962)

 

25. 보수의 진짜 의미 ·························································· 141

• 리 그린우드 Lee Greenwood

• I.O.U. (1983)

 

26. 데칼코마니로 이루어진 삶 ············································· 145

• 밥 딜런 Bob Dylan

• Like a Rolling Stone (1965)

 

27. 한 번 더 그날처럼 웃을 수 있다면 ·································· 149

• 왬 Wham!

• Last Christmas (1984)

 

28. 가끔은 그냥 내버려두자 ··············································· 154

• 비틀즈 The Beatles

• Let It Be (1970)

 

29. 조금 느리게 가도 된다 ·················································· 157

• TLC

• Waterfalls (1995)

 

30. 의자 빼준다고 다 마더파더 젠틀맨? ······························· 161

• 엘비스 프레슬리 Elvis Presley

• Return to Sender (1962)

 

31. 거울 속 영웅을 발견하라 ·············································· 166

• 머라이어 캐리 Mariah Carey

• Hero (1993)

 

32. 누구도 타인을 소유할 수 없다 ······································· 172

• 레슬리 고어 Lesley Gore

• You Don't Own Me (1963)

 

33. 남에게는 T, 나에게만 F? ··············································· 176

• 빌리 조엘 Billy Joel

• Honesty (1979)

 

34. 진정한 용서란… ··························································· 180

• 크리스티나 아길레라 Christina Aguilera

• Fighter (2002)

 

35. 인간은 에덴으로 돌아갈 수 있을까 ······························· 186

• 이글스 The Eagles

• Hotel California (1976)

 

36. 해변의 이상한 인형 ······················································· 195

• 크랜베리스 The Cranberries

• Zombie (1994)

 

37. 한 번만 기억한다면 ······················································ 200

• 사라 맥라클란 Sarah McLachlan

• Angel (1997)

 

38. 사자들이 다니엘을 물지 않은 이유 ······························· 266

• 마리안느 페이스풀 Marianne Faithfull

• This Little Bird (1965)

 

39. 그들을 따라 내려가지 말 것 ·········································· 212

• 마이클 잭슨 Michael Jackson

• Keep the Faith (1991)

 

40. 하나가 되는 세계 ·························································· 217

• 존 레논 John Lennon

• Imagine (1971)

 

41. 흔해 빠진 것의 놀라움 ················································· 221

• 베트 미들러 Bette Midler

• The Rose (1980)

 

42. 홀로세-인류세-플라스틱세? ········································· 227

• 아쿠아 Aqua

• Barbie Girl (1997)

 

43. 조금 더 아름다운 이별 ················································· 238

• 보이즈 투 멘 Boyz II Men

• It's So Hard to Say Goodbye to Yesterday (1991)

 

나가는 글 ········································································· 245

[본 문]

"인간은 끊임없이 내가 가서 달라붙을 존재를 찾는다. (중략) 하지만 인간은 장미와도 같다. 너무 가까워지면 각자의 몸에 달린 가시가 서로를 쿡쿡 찌른다. 나와 그 사람 사이에 척력이 작용하기 시작한다. 아이러니하게도 내가 그 사람을 더 사랑할수록 그 힘도 비례해서 커진다." _(본문 4-5쪽)

 

"내가 흘러간 노래를 듣고 있었던 이유는, 그 노래 속에는 나의 추억이 서려 있고, 나의 꿈이 있고, 나의 외로움과 괴로움이 있고, 무엇보다 ‘다시는 돌아갈 수 없는 그때 그 시절’이 있었기 때문이다." _(본문 8쪽)

 

"사랑은 다리를 놓아 준답니다. 당신의 가슴과 내 가슴 사이에." _(The Judds, <Love Can Build A Bridge> 중)